This intense “play in a circle” delves into the chaos of a toxic relationship between a mother and her two sons, offering an engaging and deliberately uncomfortable exploration of how a mother’s love can be weaponized. Forces like elitism, outdated gender roles, politeness, and obsessive attachment fuel Mrs. Phelps’ manipulations. The arrival of new spouses threatens to unravel the tightly-knit, sheltered family, as different forms of love—maternal and romantic—clash in desperate and insidious ways. This dynamic is as unsettling as it is true, and the play examines it both admirably and terrifyingly.
The acting, staging, and effects are consistently impressive. The intimate theatre environment magnifies the actors’ facial and bodily expressions, which are essential to the play’s minimalistic presentation. With few props, the actors command the audience’s attention through their movements, and both central and peripheral characters convey emotions with clear physicality. This immersive style makes the sparse stage feel alive, and the selective use of lighting and sound heightens key dramatic moments.
Although there were a few instances where the actors stumbled over their lines, these were hardly noticeable. Sophie Ward’s portrayal of Mrs. Phelps stood out. She captured the character’s bigoted, delusional, and controlling nature with precision. Her arrogant tone and demeaning arguments were crucial to establishing the play’s setting and message. Mrs. Phelps is superficially disarming, masking her selfishness under a veneer of societal propriety. Her conceit is difficult to dismantle, making her a complex and compelling antagonist.
The romantic entanglements of her sons involve two innocent, devoted young women whose charm, strength, and intelligence expose Mrs. Phelps’ villainy and bring a glimmer of hope to the story. The sons are torn between the familiar but destructive love of their mother and the genuine affection of their partners, who work together to reject Mrs. Phelps and the sterile love she represents. The play’s back-and-forth arguments and emotional appeals are gripping, with a script that is both tense and beautifully written. The language is vivid, the plot pushes the characters to their limits, and the exploration of deceitful love is emotionally resonant.
While the plot and dialogue are thematically consistent, some of the play’s potential is lost toward the end. Compared to earlier versions, Mrs. Phelps’ ambiguity as a villain is somewhat sensationalized here. This loss of nuance diminishes the realism and depth of the play’s message. Mrs. Phelps’ relentless obnoxiousness and her entrapment in blatant lies and delusions could have been tempered with more complexity. In the final act, a powerful speech directed at Mrs. Phelps definitively establishes her as being in the wrong. While this moment of catharsis is well-argued, it robs the audience of the chance to grapple with the moral ambiguity of maternal love. Despite this, the play remains deeply engaging and emotionally impactful.
Directed by Joe Harmston
Cast includes Jemma Carlton, Dario Coates, Alix Dunmore, Sophie Ward, George Watkins
Runtime: approx. 2hrs40mins
Until 28th September 2024